Search The Register-Guard

archive

Local News

Judge refuses to cut sentence for ‘gang mom’

Convicted murderer Mary Louise Thompson had hoped terms for some lesser crimes would be reduced

By Karen McCowan

The Register-Guard

Appeared in print: Saturday, Jan. 9, 2010, page A1

A Lane County Circuit Court judge on Friday swiftly found “gang mom” murderer Mary Louise Thompson ineligible for a possible 10 percent reduction of her prison sentences for nonviolent crimes related to the 1994 killing of a sleeping Eugene teenager.

Thompson also had been convicted in 1996 of six counts of hindering prosecution and one count of first degree burglary in connection with her persuasion and assistance of two young gang members who shot 18-year-old Aaron Iturra so he couldn’t testify against Thompson’s son.

Hindering prosecution and burglary are among nonviolent offenses qualifying for a controversial law passed last year to address a state funding shortfall.

The law, known as Senate Bill 3508, cuts prison spending by allowing an additional 10 percent sentence reduction for inmates already eligible for up to 20 percent “earned time” reductions under a longtime state program.

Lane County Deputy District Attorney Bob Lane urged Judge Debra Vogt to make Thompson ineligible for consideration under 3508. He said Thompson’s hindering prosecution counts were for such acts as helping the teen gang members dispose of the gun they used to shoot Iturra in the back of the head as he slept in his mother’s Bethel home.

Janyce Iturra, Aaron’s mother, reminded Vogt that Thompson already received a reduction in her original aggravated murder life sentence for orchestrating the gang “hit” to prevent Aaron from testifying against Thompson’s son in a parole violation hearing.

That sentence was reduced to 25 years because he would have been a witness in a juvenile proceeding rather than a trial.

“To reward her with 10 percent more good time — you have to understand that my children and myself, we’re sentenced to a lifetime without Aaron,” she said.

Thompson’s attorney, Mark Friedman, had acknowledged that the murder was “heinous,” but said Thompson’s other charges qualified under terms of the new law, because she already is eligible for up to 20 percent reductions in her sentences for those offenses.

He said the additional 10 percent would mean that Thompson, 55, could be released about nine months sooner than her current March 2021 release date.

But Vogt ruled that Thompson committed those nonviolent crimes in furtherance of the murder of Iturra.

She also ruled Thompson’s sentences ineligible for the new law because of aggravating factors cited at the time of her original sentencing in 1996.

Thompson was not transported to Lane County from a state women’s prison.

Instead, she participated by speaker phone, saying only “Yes, ma’am,” when Vogt asked if she could hear the proceedings and “Thank you,” after the ruling.

Outside the courtroom afterward, Janyce Iturra said she was “ecstatic” about Vogt’s decision, but extremely upset by again hearing Thompson’s voice.

“I didn’t sleep last night, I was so worried about this,” she said.

In her remarks, Vogt apologized to Iturra and her surviving children for having to fight against further reduction of Thompson’s sentence.

“I think a system of justice that forces victims through a process like this, when they are victims of violent and heinous crimes, is a broken system of justice,” the judge said. “I apologize on behalf of that system.”

She said she didn’t think putting victims through such ordeals “was intended or anticipated.”

Also attending the hearing were state anti-crime and victim’s rights leaders.

Former Lane County District Attorney Doug Harcleroad, now a lobbyist for the Oregon Anti-Crime Alliance, and Steve Doell, president of Crime Victims United, vowed to seek repeal or revision of 3508.

Among the law’s flaws, Harcleroad said, is that it fails to exclude nearly 50 other crimes his group considers violent offenses — including assault on a public safety officer and solicitation of felonies, including murder.

He and Doell said they intended to again press instead for an Oregon District Attorneys Association proposal to save money by a one-time reduction in the sentences of drug and property crime offenders who are already within six months of release and who are classified as low risk under an Oregon Department of Corrections assessment.

State Sen. Floyd Prozanski, one of four legislators appointed to craft 3508, has said it makes more sense to simply increase earned time, in part because it is an important “carrot” in the management of inmate populations.

Prozanski also said courts already have completed most 3508 resentencing hearings for previously convicted in-mates. In future cases, the additional 10 percent will be a known possibility at the time of sentencing.

Doell disputed that, however, saying his group expects more victims such as Iturra to be notified about possible sentence reductions for their perpetrators’ nonviolent offenses.